I STARED at the Froyles in astonishment. ‘My house? You mean Queen’s Solar? Are you saying you saw a Green Man desk at Queen’s Solar?’
They nodded.
‘Told you as how old Septimus Butters filled that house with furniture,’ said Mordaunt.
‘Amelia and Cordelia’s pa, Oswald, always boasted that the desk had been a Bishop’s,’ added Melford. ‘But that were just family legend.’ He gave a sceptical shrug.
‘Oh my God. It might actually be the one we need!’ I drew a ragged breath and tried to stay calm. ‘But I’ve never seen it at Queen’s Solar. I’m sure I’d remember––’
Mordaunt shook his head. ‘It’s not there now.’
‘’Twas given away,’ explained Melford.
I shook my head. ‘That’s impossible. Nothing’s ever given away from Queen’s Solar. Not since old Josiah built the house. It’s like a major family tradition.’
‘That may be,’ said Mordaunt, ‘but ’twas a tradition she were determined to break.’
I stared at him. ‘Who? Who was determined?’
‘Your grandmother Cordelia, of course. She gave that desk away when Amelia was in foreign parts.’
‘But… but why?’
‘Because she were angry.’ Melford grimaced.
‘Because she got it in her head that Amelia were on the catch for her husband.’
‘It were a real shame because there weren’t never nothing in it.’
‘John Austin never looked at Amelia that way.’
‘More like brother and sister those two, but Cordelia had a jealous streak.’
‘’Twas why Amelia left.’
Melford nodded. ‘So Cordelia would stop fretting over whether John truly loved her.’
‘Trouble was, Cordelia couldn’t believe a man as handsome and charming as John Austin could prefer her to her sister.’
‘Because ’twere Amelia who was always the favourite.’
‘But John Austin saw something in Cordelia no one else did,’ explained Mordaunt.
‘That’s right,’ agreed Melford. ‘He loved her.’
‘And when John took sick it sent Cordelia crazy.’ Mordaunt sighed. ‘And then he died.’
‘Struck down by tuberculosis,’ nodded Melford. ‘Cordelia spent all their money on treatments. Took John to Switzerland, had him to all the best doctors.’
‘She would’ve given her life for him, but he upped and died anyway. Made Cordelia terrible bitter.’ Mordaunt champed his jaw.
‘She never got over it. Turned all her attention to that boy of hers.’
‘Moved back to Queen’s Solar to live with her parents and wouldn’t hardly let George out of her sight.’
‘Not even to go to school. Had him at home till he was near full-grown.’
‘No way to bring up a lad like that.’ Mordaunt shook his head. ‘It twisted him a little.’
‘But she were so proud of him,’ added Melford. ‘The sun rose and set with George. Cordelia would’ve given him the moon if he’d asked for it.’
‘So when he upped and married Mary Bow, Cordelia gave him whatever he wanted from Queen’s Solar.’ Mordaunt hobbled to Aunty B’s bed.
Melford followed him. ‘That’s when George took the desk. He were main fond of it. Used to play under it as a little lad, drawing pictures of the Green Man with his twisty oaken beard—’
‘What?’ I shook Melford’s arm. ‘Are you saying my father has the Green Man desk?’
‘Well, he has a Green Man desk,’ nodded Mordaunt.
‘Pretty thing it was, too,’ added Melford, with a nostalgic sigh.
‘And it’s at Meryton House?’
They looked at me in surprise. ‘Isn’t that what we’ve been telling you?’ replied Mordaunt. ‘George took it from Queen’s Solar afore you were born.’
‘Wouldn’t have sold it,’ mused Melford. ‘So stands to reason he must have it still.’
‘Oh my God.’ I put my head in my hands. ‘These past three days we’ve been rushing about the countryside searching for it and it was probably right under our noses the whole time. It’s the Grimoire all over again,’ I laughed hysterically. ‘I have to tell Oliver. I have to see my father.’
I CALLED Oliver on my way to the car but he didn’t pick up. I left a voice message telling him I’d found a Green Man desk, was heading to my parents’ to search it for Jane’s possessions and that he should meet me at Meryton House as soon as he could.
Then I drove to Cuckoo’s Knob like a crazy woman.
Traffic was bad so it was almost seven when I arrived. I’d just killed the engine when my phone rang and Oliver’s name flashed up on the screen. ‘Oliver. Thank goodness. I’ve been trying to reach you. Where are you?’
‘In Oxford. At my mother’s.’
My heart sank. ‘Oh God, I totally forgot about dinner. I’m so sorry. You should have called––’
‘I couldn’t. My phone died in the attic at Reading and I didn’t have my charger. I’m sorry, Cass, but the desk was a fake. Oxford was closer to Reading than Winchester so I figured I might as well drive to Mum’s and call you from here. Did you talk to Lady B?’
‘You haven’t heard my message then?’
‘No, I called you as soon as I had battery.’
‘I’ve found a Green Man desk, Oliver. It might even be the one we’re looking for. It’s––’
‘Oh my god, Cass, that’s great news. Can you search it for the parcel of Jane Austen’s things––’ He broke off. I heard a voice in the background, but before I could speak the phone went dead.
I tried calling him back but his phone went straight to voicemail.
‘Shall we go in, Cassandra?’ asked Jane. ‘For I wish above all things to see if your father’s desk contains those things I once owned.’
‘Okay, but Jane, we must be careful. Remember, my father’s obsessed with you, so I need to be careful about what I tell him.’ I quietly opened the front door.
She raised her eyebrows. ‘Surely if you tell him that you are looking for my possessions, he will allow you to search his desk?’’
‘I can’t tell him that, Jane.’
‘Indeed? And why not?
‘Because if I actually found something of yours in his desk he’d never let me keep it.’
‘Would he not?’ Jane was shocked. ‘But surely—if you explained—’
‘I can’t explain, Jane. Remember the Phantral Decree? I promised not to break it.’
She sniffed. ‘Such Gothic rules! Can not you find some way to inform your father of my presence without breaking the Phantral Decree? After all, you did so with Oliver.’
‘Yes, but Oliver already suspected your existence and he told me you were here, whereas my father wouldn’t believe a word of such a story. No, the best thing to do is to sneak into his study while he and Mum are watching television.’ I began tiptoeing down the hall.
Jane frowned. ‘I cannot countenance such a scheme, Cassandra.’ She floated in front of me and shook her head. ‘We must give your father the opportunity to do what is right.’
‘So you think I should trust my father?’
‘I do.’
‘Well, I never thought I’d say this to you, Jane, but you’re wrong.’
Her pearly essence darkened to a dull red. ‘I do not think so,’ she said tartly.
I met her irritated glare. ‘Okay, so let’s say you’re right. Let’s say that, by some miracle, we actually find your stuff. How do we stop my father from taking it? Because I can promise you that if he lays eyes on it, that’s exactly what he’ll do.’
‘Should he commit such an egregious act, Cassandra, then I shall know exactly how to answer him.’ Jane raised her hand to reveal a tiny shining ball of orange ectoplasm.
I eyed her uncertainly. It might work. Only, my father was so—
‘I believe that truth is our greatest ally, Cassandra.’ Jane’s voice grew soft. She floated nearer, her hands held out in plea. ‘We are running out of time. Let us take this leap of faith together.’
It was impossible to say no. I mean, this was Jane Austen. Wise, wonderful, insightful Jane Austen. A far better judge of character than I would ever be. I stared at her for a long moment, and then I gave in.
‘Oh, all right. But you’d better have a bigger dose of ectoplasm than that to hand, Jane.’